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Articles on the efficacy of weight training for women?

04-20-2013, 11:25 PM

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can save me some serious googling here. I've got two female friends who are looking to lose some fat and get stronger. I'm trying to convince them that they should stop with the elliptical machine and the 5 pound tricep kickbacks and just lift some heavy weight, but it's a serious uphill battle. I know from my personal experience that lifting heavy-ass weights (along with a decent diet, of course) is the best path to a strong, healthy body, but I can't really recall whether there was something that I read that convinced me of this or if I just figured it out on my own. Can anyone recommend some straightforward online articles that demonstrate the effectiveness of heavy weight training. Something specifically targeted to women would be great. (Or maybe links to blogs of healthy, strong women who lift heavy?)

Totally clicked in this thread to post that link. If that's not an inspiring after-picture, your friends can't be convinced. I eventually show this link to any female who asks me how to get in shape or expresses concern about getting bulky. +1

Comment

Why don't you just let people do what they want to f'ing do? Sure, Stacy got great results, but most women are not Stacy and won't get that beautiful firm body from 'just lifting'. Lyle McDonalds explains in plain English that women need more cardio than men to keep BF% down. I lift because I like it, but all women I see in the gym that have a better body than mine are cardio and light weights queens. And, no, heavy lifting for like 4 years did not give me a great bod. I just stalled and kept stalling unlike Stacy who progressed. I have an inkling that most women are like me, not like Stacy. Gods, I spent hours thinking of Stacy and wishing I was Stacy. But Stacy I am NOT.

I am sorry, but it is just so annoying - women by nature are more prone to sticking to the rules. So, they told me to starve, and I tried to eat <1000 cals a day; they told me to run, and I ran 4x a week; they told me to boot camp, so I lifted 10 lbs dbs 120 times for 90 min straight 6x a week. Now they tell me to go under the barbell, so I squat and DL.... and the result are null. Sure, I can do more shit in the gym than before, but I ain't a any better in the looks department.

The efficient thing to do is the one you LIKE doing, to STICK with, and that puts a SMILE on your face when you sweep into the gym. If it's the triceps extensions, so be it. I think just like with food your body will eventually lead you to the movements that it finds the most beneficial.

Lyle McDonalds explains in plain English that women need more cardio than men to keep BF% down. I lift because I like it, but all women I see in the gym that have a better body than mine are cardio and light weights queens. And, no, heavy lifting for like 4 years did not give me a great bod. I just stalled and kept stalling unlike Stacy who progressed. I have an inkling that most women are like me, not like Stacy. Gods, I spent hours thinking of Stacy and wishing I was Stacy. But Stacy I am NOT.

I am sorry, but it is just so annoying - women by nature are more prone to sticking to the rules. So, they told me to starve, and I tried to eat <1000 cals a day; they told me to run, and I ran 4x a week; they told me to boot camp, so I lifted 10 lbs dbs 120 times for 90 min straight 6x a week. Now they tell me to go under the barbell, so I squat and DL.... and the result are null. Sure, I can do more shit in the gym than before, but I ain't a any better in the looks department.

The efficient thing to do is the one you LIKE doing, to STICK with, and that puts a SMILE on your face when you sweep into the gym. If it's the triceps extensions, so be it. I think just like with food your body will eventually lead you to the movements that it finds the most beneficial.

Comment

No, but the OP wants his lady-friends to quit ellipticals and 'just lift'. Stacy said she only runs when cross-fit makes her in that article. She is indeed a wonder that just lifts.

My best lifts were: SQT: 155 #, BP: 92#; OHP: 68#; DL: 205#; and I don't remember my best BBR, about 110#. That was when I was between 120-125#. It was long ago, and since then I did not improve any. I am doing 5x5 again, just doing 2 main lifts per workout and replacing SQTs 1x a week with split and jerk, but whatever. The bottom line is I suck, no matter the effort, no matter the faith, no matter the adherence.

Comment

And, to be fair, the same applies for men. I see quite a few men-folks in my gym, who do dynamic, lighter weight stuff with a lot of intervals thrown in who have better bodies imo than the exclusive heavy lifters (who run out of 45 plates when benching). There is no rhyme or reason to who does what and the body they get. I have seen a couple of women lifting heavy for a few months to a year without any magic transformations happening to them despite seeing them in the gym reg-basis. When I read 5x5 fora, there were plenty of gals like that there too, one of them lifting huge DLs but not improving aesthetics at all.

Millage vary. Be happy.

F**ing feel free to dismiss it as drivel or blame it on my own stupide self, because I am 'just not trying hard enough'. I don't f**ing care.